This is a one year observational field study investigating changes in sedentary behaviour and the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders of office workers induced by sit/stand workstations. All employees of an Austrian bank headquarter (approx. 1200 people) will be newly equipped with electric sit/stand workstations by their company in February and March 2019. The main outcomes will be occupational sitting and standing time as well as the occurence and intensity of neck and back pain.
Background Currently, 18.5 percent of all European Union citizens sit more than 7.5 hours per day. It is estimated that approximately one third of white-collar workers spend more than 7.5 hours per day seated. Moreover, it is assumed that working adults sit for up to two thirds of their working time on average, with some office-based occupations (e.g. call center employees) requiring workers to sit for more than 80% of their working day. Although the decline in physical activity helped to reduce physical overload and the accompanying risks, ongoing activity pattern changes are relevant factors in the development of health-related problems. Sedentary and sitting time are both risk factors for several diseases, such as obesity, depression and all-cause mortality. Interestingly, risks of prolonged sitting are independent of physical activity levels. A possible way to reduce occupational sitting time are sit/stand workstations. Sit-to-stand workstations provide an incentive for people to work in either a sitting or standing posture and facilitate regular sit-to-stand transitions. Despite the global increase in incidence rates, the majority of office workers in Austria are still not provided with this kind of workstation because of concerns about utilization rates. Aim The primary aim of this observational study is to investigate the mid-term effect (1 year) of sit/stand workstations on occupational sitting and standing time as well as the prevalence and intensity of neck and back pain. Secondary aims are the short- and mid-term effects of sit/stand workstations on weekly physical activity as well as daily and weekly sitting and standing time. Furthermore, their effect on the prevalence and intensity of shoulder pain should be analysed. Lastly, predictors for postural changes at work (between sitting and standing) as well as correlates between the IPAQ and OSPAQ questionnaire for office workers should be determinated. Intervention All employees of an Austrian bank headquarter will be newly equipped with sit/stand workstations by their own company. Prior to this furniture change, all employees were equipped with traditional sit workstations. The study uses the company induced furniture change for scientific purposes. Hence, the furniture change was not driven by the research institution (university). Methods Within this study 4 assessment days will be executed. They will be carried out 2 weeks before (baseline) and 3, 6 and 12 months after the furniture change. On each assessment day an online survey will be applied. This survey consists of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ), the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and well as questions addressing participants´ characteristics.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
427
Implementing sit/stand workstations at work
University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria
Linz, Upper Austria, Austria
Changes in occupational sitting time
Subjects will report the amount of occupational sitting time by means of the OSPAQ. The amount of working hours in the last 7 days will be multiplied by the percentage of time spent sitting at work in the last 7 days to get the overall amount of minutes sitting at work per week.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in occupational standing time
Subjects will report the amount of occupational standing time by means of the OSPAQ. The amount of working hours in the last 7 days will be multiplied by the percentage of time spent standing at work in the last 7 days to get the overall amount of minutes standing at work per week.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in the one year prevalence of neck pain
Subjects will report the one year prevalence of neck pain by means of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in the one year prevalence of back pain
Subjects will report the one year prevalence of back pain by means of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in the average one year neck pain intensity (VAS)
Subjects will report the one year neck pain intensity by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS used for this study ranges from 0 (no pain) to 100 (heavy pain) points.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in the average one year back pain intensity (VAS)
Subjects will report the one year neck pain intensity by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS used for this study ranges from 0 (no pain) to 100 (heavy pain) points.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
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Changes in occupational sitting time
Subjects will report the amount of occupational sitting time by means of the OSPAQ. The amount of working hours in the last 7 days will be multiplied by the percentage of time spent sitting at work in the last 7 days to get the overall amount of minutes sitting at work per week.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in occupational standing time
Subjects will report the amount of occupational standing time by means of the OSPAQ. The amount of working hours in the last 7 days will be multiplied by the percentage of time spent standing at work in the last 7 days to get the overall amount of minutes standing at work per week.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in the average one year prevalence of shoulder pain
Subjects will report the one year prevalence of shoulder pain by means of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in the average one year shoulder pain intensity (VAS)
Subjects will report the one year neck pain intensity by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS used for this study ranges from 0 (no pain) to 100 (heavy pain) points.
Time frame: baseline, 12 months
Changes in the average one week prevalence of neck pain
Subjects will report the one week prevalence of neck pain by means of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in the average one week prevalence of back pain
Subjects will report the one week prevalence of back pain by means of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in the average one week prevalence of shoulder pain
Subjects will report the one week prevalence of shoulder pain by means of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in the average one week neck pain intensity (VAS)
Subjects will report the one year neck pain intensity by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS used for this study ranges from 0 (no pain) to 100 (heavy pain) points.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in the average one week back pain intensity (VAS)
Subjects will report the one year neck pain intensity by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS used for this study ranges from 0 (no pain) to 100 (heavy pain) points.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in the average one week shoulder pain intensity (VAS)
Subjects will report the one year neck pain intensity by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS used for this study ranges from 0 (no pain) to 100 (heavy pain) points.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in daily sitting time
Subjects will directly report their daily sitting time in hours per day by means of the IPAQ.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Changes in weekly physical activity
Subjects will report their weekly physical activity by means of the IPAQ. The amount of walking, moderate and high intensity physical activities as total time in minutes per day, their metabolic equivalents of task (MET) and the frequency in days per week will be multiplied to assess the overall weekly physical activity in MET minutes per week. Physical activities will only be considered if they lasted at least for 10 or more minutes over the past 7 days.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months